Wireless communication devices, such as smart telephones and two-way radios, execute software applications that perform a variety of tasks. For example, these software applications provide functionality to send and receive electronic text and mail messages, browse the Internet, receive or send a picture, and or review various documents. A communication device can display output from the software application on a touch screen that also operates as a user input interface to the software application.
In some situations, a communication device also includes one or more mechanical interfaces (e.g., buttons, knobs, switches, and the like) that operate as a user input interface to the communication device. These mechanical interfaces, however, typically operate independent of a software application being executed by the communication device. For example, a button included in a communication device may, open receipt of user input, cause a change to the volume of a ringer of the communication device without changing the operation of a software application being executed by the communication device. Similarly, mechanical interlaces included in a communication device may be configured to change a transmission channel, transmit a radio transmission (e.g., a push-to-talk button), and power on and off the communication device.
Public safety personnel that provide services in emergency situations often use communication devices. For example, police officers, medical first responders, fire fighters, military personnel, and the like may use communication devices, such as two-way radios or converged devices (for example, a combination of a smart telephone and a two-way radio). In some situations, when a communication device is used by public safety personnel, the mechanical interfaces are used for operations related to public safety (e.g., radio transmissions) and the touch screen (and the software applications available through the touch screen) is used for operations related to personal communication (e.g., cellular communications, contact management, calendar, and the like). Still, in some emergency situations, public safety personnel may need to quickly access and use functionality provided by one or more software applications. Interacting with a software application solely through the touch screen, however, may require multiple inputs that introduce delay. For example, switch between software applications executed by the communication device, user inputs for minimizing a current application and selecting a new software application must be received through the touch screen. In addition, although some communication devices allow a mechanical interface to be re-programmed with particular functionality, this type of re-configuration requires user interaction and overrides the default functionality of the mechanical interface, which is also useful to a user. Accordingly, there is a need for a communication device that provides improved and more efficient user interactions.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The apparatus anal method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.